Deadly Perception

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the car came to a stop. I heard door's opening an closing until Nate took hold of my elbow and pulled me out of the car. Since my legs were tied tight together I lost my balance and fell onto the ground. I groaned when my head hit the tiny pebbles on the ground because my hands were bound behind my back and couldn't stop my fall. I heard the guys chuckle at my newest predicament.

"Damn girl, can't even walk right," I heard Dalton say from somewhere above me. As of now, Dalton was my least favorite no matter how innocent I had thought he looked before. He was just downright insulting. I felt him slip his hands under my arms in order to hoist me up. He slung me over his shoulder and placed his hand on my butt in order to keep me up and balanced. I wanted to squirm away, but I had a feeling that he wouldn't hesitate to drop me. I already had pebbles stuck to my skin from the earlier fall, and more was quite unnecessary.

I heard a door unlock and I was brought inside. The smell was terrible. The musty smell, like old socks, dust, and smoke, filled my nasal cavity and I began to cough.

"Aw, does the little orphan not like our hideout?" Blaze asked with anything but sympathy. Nonetheless, I felt the need to respond. I didn't have any control over my body or even know where we were, but at least I had my opinions.

"It smells like shit." Which came out as 'It vells vike svit.' Blaze growled at me.

"Permission to smack her?" Dalton asked in his smug little voice that I was beginning to loathe with a burning passion.

"Permission granted," Blaze answered as we moved further inside the house. Dalton snickered and I yelped when his hand came down hard on my ass. Great, I probably have a handprint back there from that. Damn him! Damn them all! I was a human being, I shouldn't be treated that way.

"Now that you guys are done shitting around, we've gotta get her into the basement for when Jack comes," Nate said seriously when I heard another door open. I hated not being able to see. Basement? There's no way in hell. I'm not some storage container. "Since you've got her, go down and tie her up?" I had a feeling he was talking to Dalton.

"Sure thing. Where should I tie her-the chair or the wall?"

"The wall," Nate said without hesitation. "It's easier access." Unluckily for me, I knew exactly what he wanted easy access to. I could practically hear the smirk in his voice. I felt like I was going to throw up again. Wh does everything that Nate says make me feel like that? Oh right, because he's a sick bastard just like his cousin.

"I was thinking the same thing," Dalton agreed as he descended the stairs with me still on his shoulder. Even though we were only a few steps in, I could tell that I wasn't going to like the basement very much. It was stuffy and moist and smelled like moldy cheese and damp clothes. It's more like a prison cell if you ask me.

Just then, Dalton dropped me on the cold, hard, cement floor. Before I could even get my bearings, he had grabbed my arm and hoisted me up roughly, leaning me back against the wall. I tried to rotate my left arm in my socket because he nearly yanked it out. As I did that, Dalton began to untie my hands. Yes, God was finally giving me a break!

Or not. I heard the clanking of chains and before I could bask in my good fortune, Dalton took both my hands and wrapped the cool metal cuff around them. What really sucked is the fact the chains hung from the sealing and were quite a reasonable distance from the ground. Therefore, my arms were uncomfortably suspended high in the air and only my toes touched the ground. I tried to struggle to stand flat on my feet, but all I got was the stinging feeling of the cuff breaking through my fragile skin. The last thing I wanted to do was rub my wrists raw. Next, Dalton untied my legs and locked each of them into separate cuffs bolted into the wall so that they were spread in a V. Oh joy! I guess this is where the 'easy access' comes in.

Dalton moved away from me for a minute and I moved my head right and left frantically trying to hear him. I didn't like knowing that he was near me without my knowledge. I felt someone's hand brush across my chest and I squeaked in surprise.

"You know," Dalton began. From the sound of his voice and the heat on my skin, I could tell that he was right in front of me. "You're pretty damn nice to look at, orphan." For some reason, I didn't find that as a compliment. As of now, being considered pretty was a bad thing, very bad. "In fact... how about a little photo op?" I shook my head angrily. That's the last thing I needed. This wasn't America's Next Top Model, it was the cold harsh truth of my reality.

Dalton only chuckled. "Maybe we can even show your boyfriend. It'll get him worked up, don't you think?"

"No!" I screamed. Nick didn't need this, he was under enough stress as it was. He didn't need any more on his plate. Too bad, my opinions didn't count. I heard Dalton begin to click the camera over and over and over again. I turned my head to the side, looked down, anything to avoid having the camera point straight at me.

Just then, I heard the front door slam and Jack's voice. "Dalton, where are you?" I have to admit that I could have never been happier to see Jack. Strike me where I stand, I've just sold my soul to the devil. Dalton groaned.

"We'll talk later orphan," he said in my ear before kissing my cheek. I cringed at his touch. I didn't want to see him again. Ever. After I heard his footsteps disappear up the stairs, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Then, I heard a new set of feet making their way down the stairs.

It's when I heard the voice that my stomach dropped. "How's my sexy little princess doing?" Oh God. Now would be the time for another one of my useless cliches that get me absolutely nowhere, but manage to give me dark humor. Lucky me, I have the perfect one;

Out of the over, and into the frying pan.